When water is discharged through an orifice under very high pressure (for example, 1000 psi) and then made to contact a target held in front, the water shatters into small droplets suitable for humidification, misting and other applications. For greater atomizing, the target has to be precisely aligned with the orifice. The orifice wall must be smooth to minimize turbulence in the water as it exists the orifice to produce a thin coherent stream of water directed at the target. The orifice also has to be abrasion resistant to maintain its smooth inner wall and minimize turbulence.